Alonso Proud of Aston Martin After P5 in Imola Qualifying

IMOLA, ITALY – Fernando Alonso expressed pride in Aston Martin after achieving a season-best fifth place in Qualifying for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on May 17, 2025. The 42-year-old driver noted that the results were better than expected for the British team, which introduced upgrades to their car this weekend.

Throughout the qualifying session, Aston Martin demonstrated competitive pace while testing a new strategy that involved using both soft and medium tyres during each segment. Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll advanced to Q3, with Alonso finishing strong at P5 and Stroll close behind in eighth.

When asked if he anticipated such a performance earlier in the day, Alonso smiled and said, “No, I didn’t! I think it’s a little bit better than expected, both cars in Q3 and the car felt competitive. We will see how tomorrow goes.” He credited the new components for their improved performance, stating, “Definitely the new parts we brought here are performing well.”

Despite the promising results, Alonso cautioned everyone to remain grounded, mentioning that Imola might suit their car more than other tracks. “We need to wait for different tracks,” he added. “But I’m happy for the team, proud of them. They’ve been working hard and this upgrade hopefully brings some motivation to the team.”

In the highly competitive midfield, Alonso acknowledged that trying different strategies, like using medium tyres, could be advantageous. “Let’s see tomorrow,” he said, adding, “I think we were competitive also on the soft tyre.” Meanwhile, Stroll reflected on the successful decision to use medium tyres: “I think good decisions were made putting the medium on today, which paid off.”

Ultimately, Aston Martin’s performance in qualifying suggests they could continue their momentum into the race, with Alonso sounding optimistic yet aware of the challenges that lie ahead. “Qualifying went better than we expected, and it’s great to have both cars in Q3,” he noted. “Tomorrow we will have a better idea of how we look in terms of true pace.”